Just a Kiss
by tlcinbflo
Summary: Grief takes many forms and the Ryder twins handle their emotions in different ways. Thankfully for Scott, Cora is there to get him home safely. Set pre-ark, in the Milky Way, on the Citadel. **This has become a collection of oneshots that will span the game, all for my Scott and Cora; updated rating for Chapter 3, and beyond.**
1. Just a Kiss

Just a Kiss

Lights flashed in Scott Ryder's eyes; the bass pounded in his chest. He watched the shadows dance over the faceless bodies in the crowd as he downed the last of his drink. His sister, Sara, was among those losing themselves to the throbbing digital beat. She chose to bury her feelings beneath the feel of the wandering hands of strangers. Was it the best way to grieve? Probably not, but who was he to judge? He tapped the empty glass on the bar and the batarian bartender filled it again, casting him a sidelong glance with half his eyes. Scott raised the glass in thanks before bring it to his lips again. Besides, Sara was military trained just as he was. She could take care of herself.

He caught a familiar fragrance over the scent of alcohol and looked for her. "Ryder," Cora Harper greeted, sliding onto the empty stool beside him. He offered her a lopsided smile. He watched as she extended one long, strong arm to the bartender, signaling for a drink. It didn't take more than a moment for her to get her drink. "To Ellen," Cora offered her toast, raising her glass towards Scott.

"To Mom," Scott answered. He fought fire with fire, attempting to mask to heat of emotion in his throat with the burn of the drink as he swallowed it. He stared at the empty glass in front of him, but his periphery allowed him to see Cora as she turned and scouted the club for Sara. He angled himself so he could watch Cora, the colored lights highlighting the soft angles of her face. Her hair fell long on one side, and she pushed it back with her elegant fingers – elegant fingers that could kill a person with one quick movement. "Did you see Dad?" Scott asked. He didn't really want to talk about Alec, but he wanted her attention on him.

She turned her eyes to him, and he locked his gaze on hers. He searched, finding the green and gold hiding in her brown eyes. "Briefly, at the office. He seemed, okay," she answered, and Scott snorted, tapping his glass on the bar again.

There was a sudden presence at his opposite side, and he knew it was Sara without having to look or hear her. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'm heading out," she said, and Scott looked over his shoulder and found a marine twice Sara's size waiting for her, his half-glazed eyes firmly planted on the curve of his sister's ass. Scott snorted a laugh as he locked eyes with his twin. Her eyes were lighter, brighter than his but they held the same desperate need for comfort and he knew she'd find it. He nodded at her and Sara turned to Cora. "Take care of him for me?" she asked her friend. Cora nodded and watched them leave.

The jarhead wrapped a burly arm around her and tucked a ham-hand into her back pocket. Cora shook her head. "I never really understood her taste in men." Scott took a deep breath and turned his back to the bar, his refilled glass in hand.

"That?" Scott asked pointing towards the door they'd disappeared through. Cora nodded. "That's not … that's just … she's not interested in him. She'd be bored with him in an hour. When she's like this, she wants someone to get in, get her off, and get out." Cora barked a laugh, her eyes sparkling when she did and Scott couldn't help but smile in return; his eyes following her, tracing her jaw and the length of her neck. "This is how she deals."

"And you?" Cora asked, turning towards him. Her lips pursed as she sipped from the straw in her glass. "How do you deal?" she asked. Her voice almost too soft to be heard over the noise called music in the club.

Scott raised his eyebrows and turned to the bar. "Like this: Bartender! Another round for me and the lovely lady here!" She grinned, dropping her face.

He felt her hand on his arm and lifted his face to hers. "Seriously, Scott, how are you doing?" Her thumb moved in circles on his arm and he felt a stirring in his core at the intimate touch. This is what they did. He and Cora. They flirted. They joked, laughed, touched, and teased but it never went anywhere. She was his father's second and his sister's best friend and he was notorious for fucking things up. This – a relationship with Cora - wasn't something he could fuck up.

"I'm okay," he promised, covering her hand briefly with his.

She signaled the bartender for another round as he released her. "It's hard to believe, isn't it?" she asked then, their backs were to the bar and they watched the crowd.

"What's that?"

"In just a few weeks, we'll go to sleep, and when we wake up - somewhere else - all of this will be gone." He realized as she spoke that he must be worse off than he thought. He had the overwhelming urge to kiss her. To take her in his arms and kiss her breathless. He wondered what she would taste like, how she would feel, what kind of sounds he could coax from the back of her throat. Maybe it was the curve of her jaw or the fullness of her lips. Maybe it was the wistful tone in her voice or the hope hanging on every word. Maybe it was the fact that he knew very little of what his future held for him, but he knew she would be there, or it was the booze.

He didn't know what it was but he needed it to stop.

"Oh, it's going to take more than a couple drinks to get me to wax poetic about Andromeda," he grinned when she rolled her eyes at him.

"Ass," she muttered, grinning, as she took a sip of her drink.

"You do have a great ass," he teased, leaning close to her again and she chuckled.

"All right, Romeo, I think it's time to get you to home," she chided through her laughter. She settled his tab while he finished his drink. She took his arm and draped it over her shoulder. He felt her wrap an arm around his waist and start to lead him from the club.

The artificially fresh air hit them as they left Purgatory, and Scott swayed on his feet for a second. "You okay, there, stud?" Cora teased gently.

"It's all part of my plan," he muttered as they started their walk. The air doing a lot to clear his drink addled mind. He pulled her a bit closer to him, glad he could blame it on the alcohol.

"What genius plan would that be?"

He slid a hand over her hip, his fingers dancing over the curve of her rear. She smacked his chest, but didn't release him, and didn't tell him to stop, either. They continued their walk, arms around each other and to anyone else, they would have looked like a couple. An actual couple, not just a couple of drunks. They were close to his place on the Citadel, closer than he liked right now. He was enjoying the feel of her small, strong frame tucked up against him. "It was a nice service, though, wasn't it?" he asked, his voice felt hollow as he spoke around the knot in his throat.

She whispered his name and stopped walking. He realized then they'd reached his place. She didn't release him, but she shifted her hold to a hug. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she buried her face there as his hands slid around her waist, pulling her into him. He felt the softness of the buzzed side of her head against his neck. It was softer than the hair on his cheek, but he adored the contrast. He could feel her breathing against him, feel the breath push from her lips and skim over his flesh.

Heat bloomed in his belly as he felt her curves press up against him. He pulled her in tighter, and she answered, holding him closer. Her hands went to his hair, gently carding the longer sections on top and dancing over the short hairs at the back of his head.

He wasn't sure how long they stood there. Eventually, she pulled back and cupped his stubbled cheek. Tears swam in her eyes with they met his. "It was a beautiful service, and you spoke so eloquently. Ellen would have been proud," she whispered, and he nodded, closing his eyes as he fought back the emotion threatening to spill.

It took much longer than it should have for him to realize it. It wasn't until she pulled away that he realized she had kissed him. She'd kissed him and he missed it. He licked his lips, tasting the drinks she'd had at the bar and the hint of berries from her gloss. Her cheeks were flushed and before she could say anything in her own defense, he pulled her back to him. She gasped as his lips met hers again, one of his hands moving to cup the back of her head and hold her there, the other wrapping around her waist to hold her against him. Her hands slid up his arms and, once again, around his neck.

Her lips parted for him easily, and their tongues danced, stroking, teasing, and tasting. The velvet feel of her tongue sent his blood south and his mind reeling. One of his hands dipped low, cupping her rear and that was all it took for her to moan; it was a sound he would keep with him for the rest of his days: the needy moan he'd brought from the huntress. He turned and pressed her into the wall of his building. His leg slid between hers and she gasped, clinging to him. Her teeth caught his lower lip and tugged gently. A soft growl left his chest and she slid her hand down the back of his shirt, her short, practical nails scraping the skin.

It took everything in him to suppress his primitive instincts, to not throw her over his shoulder and carry her up to his room, or simply taking her right there in the alley. At the end of the day, he was a good guy and though she wasn't saying no, they were both too drunk for this kind of decision. So, he ended the kiss, slowing and coming out of it gently. Yet, he didn't release her. He simply pressed his forehead to hers as they caught their breath, their bodies still close and thrumming with energy.

"That was," she whispered, her voice hoarse with unsatisfied need. He covered her lips with one finger. He didn't know what she was going to say, but he thought it was perfect. She said nothing. The damp air she pushed around his finger fogged his thoughts.

"Don't… let's just… keep it. Okay?" he asked, his voice breaking on the question. She nodded, and when he dropped his finger she kissed him again, quickly and firmly, before pulling back. He didn't know what her schedule was like between now and the Ark's departure. He didn't want more things to change. So much was changing, he didn't know if he could handle this, too; he just wanted to keep this memory close, to cherish it, and he would. He released her and they put distance between them before they snapped back together.

"See you…?" she paused, realizing neither knew when they'd see the other again.

"In a couple centuries?" he chuckled, and she grinned, a flush still decorating her cheeks.

"Soon," she corrected, and Scott nodded. She smiled, and turned on a heel, walking quickly towards a transit station. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd made a mistake. Whether the mistake was the kiss or not inviting her upstairs, he didn't know.

He knew very little about his future. Though, he was glad that, no matter what, Cora Harper would be a part of it.


	2. Right Here

It wasn't until he crossed the threshold into what would have been his father's quarters that the full weight of the day landed on him. His world tilted on its axis. Or maybe it was the ship? Still, his head swam as the room spun and he reached out, gripping the bar at the terminal near the front of the ship. His room - The Pathfinder's room - had the most amazing view, and he felt overwhelmed by his insignificance and inexperience.

In this moment, infantile as it may be, he missed his mom. He missed his father. He missed Sara. And he had somehow managed to fuck things up with Cora - though, that had been inevitable. His grip on the bar tightened. His knuckles white as he swallowed hard, forcing his fear back down. Sure, she'd teased him and called him charming after lashing out at him over his father's actions, but he knew she was still hurt and he didn't know how to fix it. He hadn't wanted to be a Pathfinder. He still didn't want to be a Pathfinder. Yet, here he was.

"Pathfinder-" SAMs oddly digital voice echoed in the room, or inside his head. That was another thing too difficult for him to comprehend; just how tied to SAM was he?

"SAM, I think we're beyond titles, aren't we?" Scott winced at the exhaustion that laced his tone. Maybe he needed a good night sleep. He glanced at the bed.

"Okay, Scott, I am noticing your vitals are elevated; do you require medical assistance?"

Scott snorted. Definitely beyond titles. "No, Sam, I don't need medical assistance."

"Very well," Sam answered, and the voice went silent leaving an oddly empty feeling in his head. That would take some getting used to. He moved to the bed and sat at the foot, pulling off his boots and letting the day catch up with him. He was midyawn when there was a request for entry at the door. Opening his omni-tool, he granted access and was surprised when Cora crossed the threshold.

"Cora, what's - I mean, what can I do for you?" he asked her, dropping his boots and resting his elbows on his thighs.

"I was about to ask you the same thing. Sam contacted me. Said you needed assistance," she answered. Her voice had lost the hard edge it had when they spoke previously. Her eyes roamed over his face, and he knew there was no point in lying. Not to her.

"Sam and I are going to have to talk about boundaries," Scott muttered, reaching over his head and grabbing his hoodie, he pulled it forward and off. He set it next to him on the bed and watched as Cora's eyes returned to his face. The slightly pink tint to her cheeks told him she'd let her eyes wander. "I'm…" he sighed. "Have you ever had a day or a moment when you just feel like you dropped the reins and everything is spinning out of control and you can't tell which way is up and you're just kind of dragged along with the tide?"

"Nice mixed metaphors," Cora snorted as she moved closer to him and he rolled his eyes and leaned forward again. His eyes landed on his hands, twisting in front of him, as she sat next to him on the bed. "But yeah, I think everyone has days like that." Her voice was soft and warm. When he looked up at her, he saw nothing but kindness and understanding in her eyes.

"Ask me why I wanted to come to Andromeda."

"Okay, I'll bite; why did you want to come to Andromeda?"

"I didn't," he answered. It was the first time he answered that question honestly since he signed up for the Initiative. He didn't miss the look of shock pass over her face. "Mom had just died and Dad and Sara came to me and told me about the Initiative and how they were leaving. What was I supposed to do? Everyone I cared for was gone or leaving and I didn't want to be alone. Now look at me. Dad's dead. Sara's in a coma. You're pissed at me," he dropped his eyes from her.

"Scott," she whispered his name, placing a hand on his arm. His eyes moved to the point of contact, and he covered her hand with his.

"Our success in Andromeda depends on me and I have no idea what I'm doing," he admitted in a whisper. "I have no idea why Dad did this and I'm … I'm angry with him for … for leaving - for bringing us here and dying."

"I know, but Scott, you're not alone," she matched his tone, helping to maintain the near silence in the room. She flexed her hand and laced her fingers with his. Her free hand came up and cupped his cheek. "I can't imagine what you're going through, but I'm not … I'm not pissed at you. I'm pissed at Alec, but that's not your fault. I know that, and … it wasn't fair for me to take it out on you." He nodded, leaning into her touch.

His eyes closed, and he let himself feel her presence. Their linked hands, and her hand on his cheek. He could smell her, feel her biotics beneath her skin. His heart leapt to his throat and he pulled away abruptly. Standing and scrubbing his hands over his face as he turned his back on her.

Deafening silence hummed between them, as she stayed seated on the bed and he kept his back to her. It was a long time before he spoke, and when he did he barely recognized his own voice. "Want to know what my favorite part of all of this is?" he crossed the room towards the bar. He could feel her watching him, and it wasn't unpleasant. He poured two drinks for them, and brought her a glass. "Everyone I met on the Nexus today kept asking for my dad, and I know. I'm not trained. I'm not my dad, but my dad's not here because he's dead. He's dead because he saved me. So, everyone I met today, everytime they asked for him, they were telling me they wished I was dead instead of him."

"That's not-"

"Yeah. Yeah, that's exactly what they were saying, and I get it. Fuck, I wish he was here instead of me, too."

"I don't," Cora interjected simply, as she leaned back on the bed, supporting herself with one hand.

"What?" Scott nearly spit out his drink.

She chuckled softly, her eyes locked on him. "I'm not saying I'm glad he died or anything, but he lost your mom. Sara's in a coma. If he lost you, too, I worry that it would have been too much for him."

He was surprised by the burning he felt in his chest, "But, all of that, it's not too much for me?"

She sat forward, downing the rest of her drink and moving over in front of him. She placed her hand on his chest. "You have something he didn't." He raised an eyebrow in question. "Me." He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. She smiled, her eyes on his as he covered her hand on his chest. "So, until this is … over … I'll stay right here, okay?"

"Okay." When she smiled at him, he had the overwhelming sensation that he could do this. He could be the Pathfinder; as long as she was with him, he could do anything.


	3. Inevitable

"Do you want to talk about it?" Scott asked, his hands tucked into his pockets as he approached her. She was sitting at the desk in the crew quarters with her head in her hands and he watched the rise and fall of her shoulders as she sighed. Though, an indelicate snort was the only response he received. He stepped behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She leaned back, lifting her hands and covering his. "About what? How I toppled a hero in front of her entire ark?" She opened her eyes and met his. His heart lurched when he saw the disappointment lurking there. Disappointment in herself, and in her idol. She let her head rest on his abdomen, her eyes moving over his face.

"Is that what you think happened today?" he asked, his voice soft, as his thumbs rubbed circles into her shoulders. She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Isn't it?"

"That's not how I see it. I mean, all of my decisions are out there for everyone to see. Plain as day. Black and white. All we did was make sure Sarissa's decisions were, too. She will have to answer for them, just as I do," he offered and she released his hands and straightened her back. He moved from behind her and leaned against the desk to face her as she turned towards him.

"I expected so much from her, from the asari, and they're just as lost as we are," she muttered, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand. His eyes fell to the pale stretch of her neck as she tilted her head back.

"Are we lost? I think we're doing okay considering," he defended gently, shrugging.

"So, says the Pathfinder," she smirked at him, and heat rose to his cheeks. "You're doing a great job, Scott. I've … I've realized that, lately. Alec was right. I would have been a shit Pathfinder. Always looking for someone else's plan. I can't improvise. I don't think on my feet, not like you do. If I was Pathfinder, my mistakes would be… bigger than Sarissa's." She turned her face away from him, as if turning away could stop him from seeing how upset she was. They were well past that.

"Everyone makes mistakes. You're still _you_. Smart. Talented. Beautiful, Cora," he reached out as he spoke, turning her face back towards his. He felt it in his chest when he saw tears swimming in her eyes. Yet, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

" _That's_ what you see when you look at me?" Her voice was quiet, but still broke over the emotion she was failing at hiding.

"Cora, that's what I've _always_ seen," he admitted, his voice dropping to match hers. He watched the shadows of doubt move over her features and sighed gently. He lifted his hand again and cupped her face. His thumb stroking along her cheek. "I didn't want to come here, and I would be … drowning if I didn't have you at my back, you have to know that. Any success I have is only because you're there, pushing me, making me be a better Pathfinder… better man."

"Scott, I-" she paused when Vetra walked in and Scott's hand fell from her face. The turian nodded at the pair and Scott sighed as Cora's words died on her lips. He held his hand out to her, and she looked to it before looking back to his face. She chewed her lip and Scott flashed back to what it had been like to kiss her. The way she had felt in his arms, pressed against the wall. The way she had clung to him. The sound of her breathy moan as he'd caressed her body. A six-hundred-year nap did nothing to dim the memory of that kiss. She slid her hand into his, and he smiled, turning from her and leading her from the room.

Vetra's chuckle followed them, but he didn't care and he'd bet she didn't either.

They crossed the threshold into his room, and he turned towards her, lifting his 'tool and locking the door. "I uh, look Cora, I-"

She kissed him. Her mouth warm and demanding against his as he kissed her back. She tilted her head, her fingertips teasing the short hairs at his neck. His hands moved to her hips and rear as she pressed herself closer to him. Her tongue flicked against his lips and he answered, deepening the kiss allowing their tongues to meet. She moaned into him, and he swallowed the sound like a man in a desert swallows water, like that alone would sustain his life.

He broke the kiss, and she whimpered. He kept her close, pressing his forehead to hers. "Cora," he barely recognized his own voice. He felt the shiver trace her spine.

"Scott, I want … this. You. I have for longer than I care to admit. I—"

"I want to show you how special you are. How much you mean to me," he interrupted her, his fingertips caressing her cheek and the short hairs above her ear. His fingers moved back to her face, dancing over her lips. "if you let me, it's going to take me all night." He kissed her then, long and slow, as his hands caressed her curves, aching to feel the flesh beneath the clothes. She gripped his arms as her body trembled. He dropped his kisses to her neck, biting gently, and she gasped. He lifted his lips from her skin. Her head had dropped back and her mouth open. "May I?"

"Fuck, Scott, yes, please, yes," she lifted her head then, and he kissed her. He moved slowly, his hands moving over her body as he unbuckled and unzipped her clothes. He pulled them from her, exposing the soft skin beneath. Kneeling, he untied her boots. She placed one scorching hand on his shoulder as she stepped out of it before he repeated the action. He stood, kissing her quickly, before he dragged his lips down her neck as his hands held her waist. She swayed on her feet. He grinned against her skin, his lips moving to her breasts. He let his beard brush against the soft skin, loving her sharp intake of breath.

Her breath expelled on a moan as he covered one rosy peak with his mouth. Sucking gently, she cursed, her nails digging into his shoulders as she clung to him. "Scott, maybe we … maybe I should… sit…" she couldn't get a sentence out and he laughed, gripping her behind her knees and standing straight, lifting her out of the puddle of pants at her feet. She yelped, and laughed a breathless laugh as she wrapped her legs around his still clothed body. She tugged at his shirt as he carried her to his bed. He sat her on the edge, and she released him. He pulled his shirt off over his head, before bringing his lips to hers again. Kissing her thoroughly; kissing her breathless.

He pulled away from her then, repeating his previous path down her neck and chest as his hands moved to her briefs. He let his fingertips dip beneath the band, teasing the sensitive skin there. She gasped, her legs opening on their own, making room for him. Her belly was warm, and soft, and trembling beneath his lips as he trailed south. He hooked his fingers in the elastic and tugged. She lifted her rear and he pulled them off, setting them beside himself.

He dropped his head to her thigh. His lips teasing the delicate skin. She moaned, and fell back on the bed. Her hands gripping the sheets as he left warm, wet kisses on her skin. He moved higher, his tongue teasing her. He paused when he reached her core. He moved his lips to her belly, skipping where she wanted him, kissing and sucking as his hands caressed her calves. She cursed, a loud growl. He chuckled, a low, masculine laugh from deep in his chest.

He sat back and looked at her. Lying on his bed. Her skin flushed and glistening. She panted, short shallow breaths. Her legs open, exposing herself to him. He watched the rise and fall of her chest and the instinctual rolling of her hips as she sought friction. She started to speak, but he moved then, covering her with his mouth she called out in surprise. He lapped at her, long strokes with his broad tongue as he moved her legs over his shoulders. He sucked at the bundle of nerves at her center, and she let out a low groan. Her hands moving to his hair, tugging hard, holding him close. He slipped his tongue inside, she whimpered. Her voice rising in pitch as she neared her peak.

She rolled her hips against his face and he struggled to hold her still, grinning against her as she unraveled at his touch. She begged him with each sigh, not to stop. He wouldn't. Couldn't. Her body arched, and her hands gripped hard at his hair as she fell off the knife's edge. She whimpered as came, pleasure rolling through her body and he lapped at her, easing her down. She was boneless in his bed, and he grinned as he brought a hand to her core. He knew she was still reeling from her orgasm, but he wasted no time. He slipped two fingers into her, curling them, and stroking her relentlessly.

It happened so fast, she gasped, and it took no time for one orgasm to roll into the next and she was clenching around his fingers. His erection had grown painful as it strained against the snug fit of his pants. "Scott, please, I want you inside me," she tugged at his hair and dropped her legs from his shoulders. He obliged, standing. His hands moved to undo his pants and free himself. He watched as she moved herself up in the bed. Her head resting on his pillows. He knew the sheets would smell like her long after she left, if she left.

He crawled onto the bed, moving over her on all fours. He dropped his head and kissed her. Lowering himself, he supported most of his weight on his elbows, as he brought one knee between her legs and up, pressing against her. She called out, into his kiss and he grinned. His tongue flicking against her lips. He shifted, resting in the cradle of her hips as his tongue dipped into her mouth again. The velvet feel of her kiss, the taste of her making the desire to inside burn hotter. She lifted her legs, hooking her feet behind him. She reached between them and positioned him at her core.

She was ready for him, eager even. Her previous pleasure seeing to that. He kissed her gently, almost comically chaste as he slowly pushed inside. He watched her face as he did. Her eyes closed and her swollen lips parted. She breathed shallow breaths against his skin.

She felt like all good things. Saturday morning cartoons. Christmas. The first drag of a cigarette. The burn of a sip of whiskey. The kickback from a favored shotgun. Coming home.

He was fully sheathed inside her and she opened her eyes and met his. She reached up and cupped his face. Her delicate fingers raking through his stubble. He turned his head and kissed her palm as he moved. She gasped, her eyes fluttering. She wrapped her arms around him then, holding him close, as if she feared letting him go would hurt.

Maybe it would.

He kept his movements slow for as long as he could. The feel of her around him, beneath him, inside him was too much. He had _never_ felt like this before and he was suddenly terrified. Then, her hand found his above her head. She linked their hands, squeezing tight. He lost the weak grip he'd had on his control and his hips moved fast, thrusting into her. She urged him on, begging for more, faster.

It didn't take long then. With a cry, he finished, emptying himself inside her. He let himself rest and she accepted his weight easily, holding him close. His chest heaved as he struggled to draw breath. Too much. It was all too much. "Hey," she whispered against him. Pressing her lips to his neck. "You alright there, stud?" He lifted his head, claiming her lips, his tongue sliding against hers. He fought down the emotion that was raging in his chest as he kissed her. He focused on the way she felt; he could feel her breathing beneath him. He focused on that, breaking the kiss and pressing his forehead to hers. He smiled.

"I'm perfect," he answered as he rolled off her, but keeping her close, pulling her with him. She moved with him, tangling their legs and resting her head on his chest. She let her fingers dance through the smattering of hair over his heart. A sated silence fell on the room. He let his hands trail up and down her back, memorizing the feel of her skin. Sleep came for them shortly after, but it took her first. He watched as she fell under. Her jaw going slack. Her muscles twitching. Her breathing growing heavy. She was stunning, and she was here, with him.

He wasn't sure what he did to deserve this, but as sleep claimed him, he promised her and himself that he would do whatever he had to do to keep her near and happy. Always.


	4. Take All Night

**Author's Note:** Most of these "chapters" will not be chronological or immediate. That said, this does directly follow Inevitable. I'll be honest, it's smut with very little plot. Enjoy. **\- TLC**

* * *

 **Take All Night**

He woke slowly, coming out of his slumber with a laziness he'd denied himself in Andromeda. Before he opened his eyes, memories of the earlier evening danced in his mind's eye: she was spread out before him, eager and waiting; she was moving beneath him, arching against him, demanding her release. He took a deep breath and inhaled the sweet scent of flowers, the bite of gun oil, and the tang of biotics. Cora. As he returned to consciousness, he became aware of her wrapped in his arms and pressed against him; her back to his front, spooning.

He smiled against the soft skin of her neck. His body started reacting to her naked form still so close to him before he was even fully awake, not that he really had a choice in the matter. He pressed a line of kisses along her neck and shoulder as he pulled her even closer. She shifted, rolling her hips and pushing her back side against his growing erection. He gasped lightly. He sucked softly on her pulse point as his hand slid up her abdomen and cupped her breast, shaping the flesh and pinching the rosy tip.

She moaned, and reached up, her hand tangled in his hair and held his lips to her skin as she rolled her hips again. He bit down lightly, at the junction of her neck and shoulder and she tugged his hair in response. He groaned and she sighed. He could lay here, for days or weeks or another 600 years, and need nothing but the sounds he coaxed from her for sustenance.

He finally opened his eyes and found her watching him. A flush decorated her cheeks. He watched her tongue dart out to wet her lips and he couldn't help but kiss her. It was a deep, thorough kiss, which left both their lungs burning for air. Their bodies were moving together, slowly bringing each other back to that place of instinctual need. It wasn't long before he was fully hard. His erection pressing between them.

"Cora," he spoke her name in the darkness, his voice low, and dripping with desire. She hummed her response. He shifted then, quickly, sliding his leg between hers and dropping his hand from her breast to her thigh, pulling her leg back and opening her up to him. "I want you," he murmured, teasing her; brushing his lips against hers, without sealing them for a kiss. "Can I have you? Again? Now?"

She locked her eyes on his, "Yes." Her answer was a sigh and she rolled forward and almost away from him. She was lying face down on the bed, her head turned to meet his heated stare. She lifted her hips in invitation. He groaned, cursing, as he took in the sight of her bare and on display for him. He moved behind her, and slid his hands over her perfect, round rear. Then up the smooth, taut muscles of her back. He leaned over her, his body covering hers until his hands found hers. He kissed her; his erection pulsing and pressing against her thigh.

He released one of her hands, and reached down to position himself at her opening. She gasped as he slowly slid into her. She trembled beneath him as a rush of biotics raced over her skin. He gasped as the energy caused his to respond. He nearly vibrated with want. When his hips met hers, and he was fully seated within her, she whimpered. Her hands squeezing his as she gasped.

He kissed and nipped at the back of her neck as he slowly started to move. They were short, shallow thrusts as he didn't want to release her. He wanted her as close as he could get her. His pace was maddening for him and, if he could guess by her panting and cursing, for her, too.

"Please, Scott, I need… faster," she moaned, the ache she felt for her release clear in her mewl. Reluctantly, he released her hands and shifted, kneeling behind her, he gripped her hips and watched.

He watched as he slowly slid out of her, leaving just the head inside before snapping his hips forward and filling her. She cried out the first time, and he grinned. He watched his hands leave prints on her hips, he watched as her body accepted him thrust after thrust. Her arms gave out, and her body pressed to the bed as she came. She called out his name, gasping and trembling. He slowed his movements, drawing out her pleasure as long as he could.

He reached around and his nimble fingers found her swollen clit. She cursed as he worked at the bundle of nerves, his erection still buried deep inside her, he stayed still and simply toyed with her. Feeling where their bodies connected and rubbing at her oversensitive areas. She called out as one orgasm fell into a second, and he grinned as she came apart in front of him.

He started to move inside her again, and with one arm reached around in front of her, pulling her up on her knees in front of him. Their bodies still connected and moving together in a dance older than time. He was close. His body was thrumming with the proximity of his release. She turned her head and kissed him. She took his hands and placed them on her breasts. He groaned as he broke the kiss, moving faster and harder, chasing his release.

He called out her name as he caught it, falling into it. Colors danced before his eyes, as he emptied himself. He could feel her walls tightening, his release pushing her into another. He sat back on his heels, and she moved with him. She had to; he still had his arms around her. She let her head fall back onto his shoulder as they tried to catch their breath. Their skin slick with sweat. He didn't want to let her go, but she pulled out of his embrace and he released her. She fell onto the bed, and he watched as her body settled in his sheets.

He laid beside her, his hand finding hers between them. Their fingers interlocking. "That was…" She was still breathless. She turned her head and found him watching her. He grinned at the pure euphoria he found in her eyes. "Why didn't we do this sooner?" she asked on a laugh as she released his hand and rolled closer to him. She propped herself up and looked down at him.

"Who knows?" he shrugged, and she laughed. She reached out and traced the scar that cut through his brow. Then his cheeks and jaw. He loved they way she touched him. There was something so endearing in her tenderness. He reached up and cupped her face, his hand sliding to the back of her neck and bringing her lips to his. "But it's going to be a lot of fun making up for lost time." He spoke the words against her lips and inhaled her laugh.


End file.
